A point-of-sales (POS) system is known as a system that processes a data code (for example, a barcode) printed on merchandise. The POS system is generally used in a retail store such as a supermarket. Based on a product code obtained by reading (decoding) a data code printed on each piece of merchandise purchased by a customer, the POS system acquires the unit price of the merchandise that is registered in the POS system, and calculates the total amount.
Pieces of merchandise dealt in a retail store sometimes include merchandise to which, for example, a label displaying a price reduction amount (to be referred to as a discount label hereinafter) is attached. The POS system needs to efficiently perform price reduction of discount label-attached merchandise. Recently, there is provided a technique meeting this demand. This technique utilizes an image acquired by capturing the surface of merchandise on which a data code is printed. That is, according to this technique, when a data code and a discount label are detected from the same acquired image, the decoding result of the data code and the recognition result of the discount label are output together.
According to a POS system to which this technique (to be referred to as a related art hereinafter) is applied, when the recognition result of a label is output together with the decoding result of a data code, the unit price can be automatically reduced by a price reduction amount printed on the discount label. That is, the price reduction operation can be performed without requiring an operation by the operator. Even when a discount label displaying a discount rate, or a point giving label displaying the number of points to be given is used instead of the discount label, the POS system can process such a label in the same way.
In the above-described related art, a label such as a discount label needs to be attached to a surface on which the label can be captured at the same time as the data code of merchandise. If the label is attached to a surface on which the label cannot be captured at the same time as the data code of merchandise, the label is not included in an image acquired by capturing the data code. For example, when a data code is printed on the front side (first surface) of a milk carton and a label is attached to the back side (second surface different from the first surface) of the milk carton, both the data code and label cannot be included in the same image. When a label is attached to merchandise in a layout in which the label is not included in the same image together with the data code of the merchandise, it is difficult for the related art to associate the data code and the label. If the association fails, it is hard to correctly perform price reduction (or discount or point giving).
It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving image recognition apparatus and moving image recognition method capable of associating a data code and a label from a moving image even when the data code and the label are arranged on different surfaces of the same object.